Can language attitudes be improved? A longitudinal study of immigrant students in Catalonia (Spain)

Abstract

This study explores changes in attitudes towards Catalan, Spanish, and English over a two-year period, on the part of secondary education students of immigrant origin residing in Catalonia. It aims to provide new data by adopting a longitudinal design and by focusing on the immigrant population, which has raised new challenges for the Catalan society and education system. Data was collected from 72 secondary education students who answered a language attitudes questionnaire twice, at a twoyear interval. The instrument chosen has been successfully used in the area previously (Huguet, Janés, and Chireac 2008; Madariaga, Huguet, and Lapresta 2013). Findings showed that attitudes towards Catalan improved, while attitudes towards Spanish and English remained stable, based on which we discuss the strength of language attitudes in this particular context. Furthermore, the socio-demographic and affective variables traditionally investigated as determinants of language attitudes were not found to influence the processes of attitude change. CAN LANGUAGE ATTITUDES BE IMPROVED? A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN CATALONIA (SPAIN) This study explores changes in attitudes towards Catalan, Spanish, and English over a two-year period, on the part of secondary education students of immigrant origin residing in Catalonia. It aims to provide new data by adopting a longitudinal design and by focusing on the immigrant population, which has raised new challenges for the Catalan society and education system. Data was collected from 72 secondary education students who answered a language attitudes questionnaire twice, at a two-year interval. The instrument chosen has been successfully used in the area previously (Huguet, Janés, and Chireac 2008; Madariaga, Huguet, and Lapresta 2013). Findings showed that attitudes towards Catalan improved, while attitudes towards Spanish and English remained stable, based on which we discuss the strength of language attitudes in this particular context. Furthermore, the socio-demographic and affective variables traditionally investigated as determinants of language attitudes were not found to influence the processes of attitude change.

Language Learning Motivation and Language Attitudes in Multilingual Spain From an International Perspective

“…The Spanish experience demonstrates that, when students observe that minority languages appear in a positive light at school and social levels, a positive attitudinal change takes place, the mudes are more likely to take place (Pujolar & Puigdevall, ), and the gap between students’ actual and their future ideal selves is bridged—developments that favorably impact all the languages concerned (Ianos et al., ).…”

“…In one of the few longitudinal studies available on immigrant students’ language attitudes, Ianos et al. () explored changes in attitudes over a 2‐year period. Their findings indicated that attitudes toward Catalan improved, while attitudes toward Spanish and English remained stable.…”

Language attitudes towards Spanish and Catalan in autochthonous and immigrant families in Catalonia: analysing the correlation between student attitudes and their parents’

“…Language attitudes are widely accepted as a key component in the development of identity and the promotion of integration of individuals in society (Alarcón and Parella 2013;Cots et al 2010;Ianos et al 2015;Lapresta and Huguet 2008). The field has attracted considerable attention in the past few years since language attitudes can be a determining factor to facilitate the inclusion of immigrants in the host culture and the modelling of more tolerant behaviours towards multilingualism at the school.…”

“…Language attitudes are commonly regarded as a basic tool for the development of multilingual and multicultural environments (Baker 1992;Bernaus et al 2004;Cenoz 2001; Garret 2010) and, in fact, the case of Catalonia has been extensively investigated to analyse language attitudes towards Catalan and Spanish (Bernaus, Moore, and Cordeiro 2007;Ianos et al 2015;Lapresta, Huguet, and Fernández-Costales 2016;Newman, Patiño-Santos, and Trenchs-Parera 2013;Trenchs-Parera and Newman 2009).…”

“…Finally, several authors have underlined the dynamic nature of language attitudes (Chambers 1999;Dörnyei 1994, Norton 2000. Assuming the premise that attitudes are dynamic and might change, language attitudes are not innate but learnt, and may be modified with experience (Baker 1988(Baker , 1992Garret 2010;Huguet 2006;Ianos et al 2015). According to this view, institutional, social, and educational actionstogether with the influence of students' families -are deemed essential in the development of attitudes to a particular language: an example of this can be found in the study by Rodríguez-Neira (2000), who reported on the positive evolution of language attitudes towards Galician by local students.…”